How to Make Delicious and Nutritious Dandelion Jelly
We’ve talked about the benefits of dandelions before, and there are a number of medicinal, cooking and even wine recipes that we’ve shared in the past. This time, we’re introducing you to a nice jelly recipe that will allow you to can and store a sweet and nutritious addition to your stockpile. The recipe is easy, and you start making batches with some basic ingredients and equipment in no time.
Getting Started
The first step is to collect a whole bunch of dandelion flowers. Keep in mind that you will just be using the flowers for this project, so the stems and leaves will need to be removed. You also want to choose flowers from quality dandelions that are growing far from roadways, grass treated with chemicals or fertilizers or in areas where animals may be going to the bathroom. In other words, the quality of the finished product is closely related to where you source your dandelions from.
Once you’ve collected all of the flowers, sift through them and discard any that don’t meet the grade. Then, start to trim away the green undersides so very little remains other than the petals and the white material that links them to the bud. Keep trimming and cutting away until you’ve produced about two cups of nothing but nice, quality flowers and petals.
Make a Tea
The next step is to fill a large glass jar with the dandelion flowers and pour over four cups of boiling water. Let the leaves steep and water cool until it reaches room temperature. Cover the jar and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and pour the jar over a strainer that’s situated over a large container or pot. This will strain out the petals and other pieces of debris. Give the remnants in the strainer a good press to extract that last bit of moisture. You should end up with between 3 ½ and 4 cups of tea water.
Processing
Put the liquid in a pot, bring up to a low boil, add a pouch of powdered pectin and add two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir gently until the pectin has dissolved. Add four cups of sugar while continually stirring until the crystals have dissolved as well. Slowly bring the liquid back to a boil and let boil for two more minutes before removing from heat.
Immediately pour the liquid into hot canning jars and fill until ¼ inch of headspace remains. Use a spatula to work around the edges of the jars in order to remove excess air bubbles. Wipe down the rims with a damp, warm cloth until clean before attaching the lid assembly. Screw in place and place in your water bath canner for 10 minutes. Make sure to adjust for altitude to ensure proper processing time.
Remove the jars from the canner and place on a towel on the counter. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before checking the quality of the seals. Label and date the good ones and re-process any defects. Many people say that this jelly tastes a bit like honey and lemon, and it’s a delicious way to get some more of the nutritional benefits of dandelion into your system.
